Man Admits Killing Pet Deer In Local Cemetery

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KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — A 19-year-old Kansas City man says he’s the one who shot a pet deer in an east-side cemetery, but he didn’t know it was tame and was just trying to feed his family.

The Jackson County prosecutor’s office says a state conservation agent ticketed Phoenix Vankirk for taking a deer out of season, punishable by a fine of up to $1,000.

Vankirk told the agent he was on his front porch grilling Aug. 3 when he saw the deer in Elmwood cemetery near his home. He says retrieved his .45 caliber handgun, jumped the cemetery fence and shot the deer when it got close.

Vankirk said he took his car to retrieve the dead deer, but the cemetery gate was locked and he had no way to get to it.